IP Library › Granted Patent US 12690642
Granted Patent B2
US 12690642 · App. 18/794,163 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Plate for footwear

Inventors: Emily Farina (North Plains, OR); Lysandre Follet (Portland, OR); Geng Luo (Portland, OR); Rachel M. Savage (Beaverton, OR); Kristin Yetman (Portland, OR)
Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
A43B13/186A43B7/141A43B7/1445A43B7/145A43B7/18A43B13/02A43B13/026A43B13/04A43B13/127A43B13/141A43B13/143A43B13/145A43B13/188
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12690642
App. No.
18/794,163
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A plate for an article of footwear having a sole structure includes an anterior-most point disposed in a forefoot region of the sole structure, a posterior-most point disposed closer to a heel region of the sole structure than the anterior-most point, and a concave portion extending between the anterior-most point and the posterior-most point. The concave portion includes a constant radius of curvature from the anterior-most point to a metarsophalangeal (MTP) point of the sole structure. The MTP point opposes the MTP joint of a foot during use.

Claims (34)

1 . A plate for an article of footwear having a sole structure, the plate comprising:

an anterior-most point configured to be disposed in a forefoot region of the sole structure;

a posterior-most point configured to be disposed within a heel region of the sole structure;

a flat portion extending from the posterior-most point in a direction toward the anterior-most point;

a concave portion configured to be disposed in the forefoot region of the sole structure and extending continuously from a forward-most point located at the anterior-most point to a rearward-most point located along a blend portion extending between and connecting the concave portion and the flat portion, the concave portion including a constant first radius of curvature from the anterior-most point to the rearward-most point; and

a lateral edge portion extending from the forward-most point to the rearward-most point along a lateral side of the plate, the lateral edge portion being continuously convex along an entire length of the concave portion,

wherein the plate is formed from at least two layers of fibers, wherein the at least two layers are anisotropic to one another to impart a gradient stiffness across the plate, and

wherein, along a total length of the plate from the anterior-most point to the posterior-most point, the plate includes (i) a toe segment, a metatarsophalangeal (MTP) segment, and a bridge segment disposed sequentially within the concave portion and (ii) a heel segment within the flat portion, the bridge segment terminating at the rearward-most point located on the blend portion and having a reduced width proximate to the blend portion relative to a maximum width of the MTP segment and a maximum width of the heel segment.

2 . The plate of claim 1 , wherein the fibers, of each layer of the at least two layers of fibers, are consolidated by a resin.

3 . The plate of claim 1 , wherein the blend portion is located sixty percent (60%) of the total length of the plate rearward from the anterior-most point.

4 . The plate of claim 3 , wherein a junction of the blend portion and the flat portion is co-planar with the anterior-most point and the posterior-most point in a relaxed configuration.

5 . The of claim 1 , wherein the posterior-most point is located within the flat portion.

6 . The plate of claim 1 , wherein the MTP segment is located thirty percent (30%) of the total length of the plate rearward from the anterior-most point and configured to oppose an MTP joint of a foot during use.

7 . The plate of claim 6 , wherein a midpoint of an arc of the constant first radius of curvature is located in the MTP segment.

8 . The plate of claim 7 , wherein the constant first radius of curvature extends at least 40% of the total length of the plate.

9 . A sole structure incorporating the plate of claim 1 .

10 . An article of footwear incorporating the plate of claim 1 .

11 . A plate for an article of footwear having a sole structure, the plate comprising:

an anterior-most point configured to be disposed in a forefoot region of the sole structure;

a posterior-most point configured to be disposed within a heel region of the sole structure;

a flat portion extending from the posterior-most point in a direction toward the anterior-most point;

a concave portion configured to be disposed in the forefoot region of the sole structure and extending continuously from a forward-most point located at the anterior-most point to a rearward-most point located along a blend portion extending between and connecting the concave portion and the flat portion, the concave portion including a constant first radius of curvature from the anterior-most point to the rearward-most point; and

a medial edge portion extending from the forward-most point to the rearward-most point along a medial side of the plate, the medial edge portion being continuously convex along an entire length of the concave portion,

wherein the plate is formed from at least two layers of fibers, wherein the at least two layers are anisotropic to one another to impart a gradient stiffness across the plate, and

wherein, along a total length of the plate from the anterior-most point to the posterior-most point, the plate includes (i) a toe segment, a metatarsophalangeal (MTP) segment, and a bridge segment disposed sequentially within the concave portion and (ii) a heel segment within the flat portion, the bridge segment terminating at the rearward-most point located on the blend portion and having a reduced width proximate to the blend portion relative to a maximum width of the MTP segment and a maximum width of the heel segment.

12 . The plate of claim 11 , wherein the fibers, of each layer of the at least two layers of fibers, are consolidated by a resin.

13 . The plate of claim 11 , wherein the blend portion is located sixty percent (60%) of the total length of the plate rearward from the anterior-most point.

14 . The plate of claim 13 , wherein a junction of the blend portion and the flat portion is co-planar with the anterior-most point and the posterior-most point in a relaxed configuration.

15 . The plate of claim 11 , wherein the posterior-most point is located within the flat portion.

16 . The plate of claim 11 , wherein the MTP segment is located thirty percent (30%) of the total length of the plate rearward from the anterior-most point and configured to oppose an MTP joint of a foot during use.

17 . The plate of claim 16 , wherein a midpoint of an arc of the constant first radius of curvature is located in the MTP segment.

18 . The plate of claim 17 , wherein the constant first radius of curvature extends at least 40% of the total length of the plate.

19 . A sole structure incorporating the plate of claim 11 .

20 . An article of footwear incorporating the plate of claim 11 .